Apparatus for edging sheet metal blanks



Feb. 27, 1945. 1, ANEIROS v 2,370,128

APPARATUS FOR EDGING SHEET METAL BLANKS Filed Ndv. 7, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 AT TQRN EYS.

APPARATUS FOR EDGING SHEET METAL BLANKS Filed Nov. 7, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 JOSEPH AN EIROS TToRNEgs Patented Feb. 27, 1945 APPARATUSFOR EDGING SHEET METAL BLANK Joseph Aneiros, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignorto E. W. Bliss Company, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareApplication November 7, 1941,` Serial No. 418,219

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a method and apparatus formaking can bodies from sheet metal blanks and is more particularlyconcerned with the edging operation by which hooks are prepared on twoedges of the blank which are then brought into a position to face eachother and are interlocked to form the side seam of the can.

In edging can body blanks the hooks prepared on the blanks depend intheir shape on the type o f seam which it is intended to use in thecompleted can.. The type of' seam in turn depends on the subsequent useof the can. One of the most popular seams is the lock-and-lap seam usedin making sanitary foodstuff cans. In forming the hooks for this type ofseam one edge of the blank is bent back in a downward direction whereasthe edge later to face the rst one is bentback in an upward direction,the two hooks thus formed being capable of interlocking and overlapping.Another seam ywidely used is the Mennen seam, generally applied topowder cans of different types. This seam is made from a blank having asubstantially U-shaped hook on one edge, the U having converging Shanks,which are adapted to engage a hook-shaped edge formed oppositely theretoon the blank.

Can body makers heretofore used have embodied an edging station providedwith tools for turning out blanks which would make one denite type ofseam. If it was desired to manufacture cans with another type f seamtheI edging station had to undergo a complete rebuilding which involvedconsiderable work and stopped the operation of the machine during asubstantial change over period.

These diiculties in switching from one type of production to anotherhave proved to be a great inconvenience in modern general line canmanufacture, Where machines are continuously run to capacity duringcertain periods.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the abovedisadvantages by providing the edging station with tools capable ofbeing easily adapted to make the hooks of blanks in one way or anotheraccording to the type of seam chosen for a certain batch of cans,without compelling'the operator to make changes in the general set-up ofthe machinery involving considerable time and labor.

In carrying out my invention I provide an edging station for a can bodymaker with two edge forming members, one of which is capable of shapingone edge of the blank into the U-shaped hook later to form the Mennenseam, while the other member is adapted simultaneously to shape the hookengaging therewith on the other edge of the blank. By a change in thefirst-mentioned members-the nature of which will be explained more fullyhereinafter, I am able to achieve the above-mentionedbbject of adaptingthe mechanism as a whole to turn out blanks with edges for alock-and-lap seam, without changing the mechanism as a whole on eitherside of the station.

To the'accomplishnent of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in `the claims; the annexed drawings and the followingdescription setting forth in detail certain means illustrating, how'-ever, but one of the various forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the edging station when set for making theMennen seam;

Fig. 2 shows an edging member, in the form of a lever, on an enlargedscale;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same station when set for making thelock-and-lap seam; and

Fig. 4 illustrates the edging member shown in Fig. 2 in a differentposition.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the machine comprises a frame IUsupporting an operating table II to which the blank B is 4fed from apreceding operating station in a known manner. Each side of the machinecarries a bracket, the so-called edger bracket, the one on the left-handpart 0f the machine being indicated by I3, the right-hand one by I4.Bracket I3 carries a pres- Sure shoe I5 having a vpressing foot IBrigidly attached thereto which serves for clampingthe blank during theedging operation and the foot I6, preferably, has a beveled surface I6Xwhich may at the same time cooperate with the edging tool 23 in forminga hook on the blank. This shoe is pivotally mounted on a pin 2| in theedger bracket I3. The upper end of the pressure shoe I5 is slidably andpivotally connected at 8 in a horizontal slot 28 of a crosshead 29, thehorizontal slidability being provided in the connection at 8 to permitthe conversion of vertical reciprocatory motion of the'crosshead 29'intooscillatory motion of the pressure shoe' I5 and to permit automatic orself-readjustment of the said parts when the edger brackets I3. and I'IIare shifted toward or away from each other, in a well understood manner,to enable the apparatus to accommodate blanks of diierent widths.

The left-hand edging member (Fig. 2) comprises a bell crank edging lever22 carrying the' edging tool 23 rigidly attached thereto by means ofbolts 24a. The front edge of the tool 23, preferably, is shaped tocooperate with beveled surface Iiix of the pressing foot I6 in bendingthe plain hook for the Mennen seam. The edging lever is pivotallymounted on pin 2I and the end of the arm remote from the edging toolispivotally confctdfasiat'25 to a turnbuckle comprising a threaded tube26 and two endportions 24 and 21, threadingly fitted thereto so that thelength of the turnbuckle may be adjusted as required. The loweradjustableportion r21 of the turnbuckle has an extension 30 pivoted at3I,.to one side of a bell crank 40 whose other armmMla is pivotallyconnected at 4 I Vtoan eccnt'ric142.

The edger bracket I4 pivotally supports a pressure shoe I2, at point I2aat the right-hand side of Figs. 1 and 2, said shoe having a pressingfoot I1 rigidly fastened thereto. serves on the one hand to hold downth'e'bl'ank during ,the edging operation, ,andpn `the other handit has aVdie formed therein for shaping the Ufformed `hook .of the -Mennen seamwhich cooperates withthe edge formed von the left hand side of theblank, as shownin Fig. 1. For .this purpose agroove with.si des.l8, I 8'is provided in said foot I1 which .cooperates ,wtntwoedging toolsI9,and.20. -The latter are mounted on slides 32 and `33 respectively,,which are connected Ato .dog levers l34 and 35 capable of operating-theslides in ,timed relation. rAs Slide 32 is moved inwardly, the U-shapedhook is formed on the right-hand ,edge ofthe blank and whilethe slide32' is retracted, slide 33 is advanced, bending the right-hand shankofthe hook `inwardly toinsure the locking 4 engagement .with thehook ,onthe opposite edge at the time `when theseaming operation takes place.Since the .formation of the hooks-for, the Menncn seam is known ,in theart it is unnecessary 4to vdescribe it Jin .further detail.

Pressure shoe I2 is slidably and pivotally con` nected at 9 with one -ofits ends .in a slot 36 of .the crosshead 29, in much the same -mannerand formuch the samereasonsas hereinbefore recited in connectionwthpressure shoe I5 on the left-hand side of the machine.

. .-,Forl carrying .out the edging operation in the timed Amovements,fof parts Ymentioned above .the machine is provided .with a main .shaft43 continuously rotated by suitable means'. Upon said shaft foureccentrics are mounted adapted ito actuate the edging members on bothsides of the machine. Fig. 1 shows eccentric 42 for| actuatr ing theledging lever 22 at the left-hand sideand eccentric 44 from which aconnection leads Ato,an

.arm 149 adapted to .actuate pressureshoe I2for clamping down. the blankB. .Fig Bshows `these two and a third eccentric 45 vwhich actuates slide32 and the edging tool I9 thereon. `The fourth eccentric is not visibleinthe drawings, since it lies behind the others in close proximitytheleto; it serves for actuating slide 33 and the edging toolv20thereon. Finally a cam A6 lis mounted onshaft 43 and seryesrforoperatingcrosshead 29.

The manner in which these members drivethe forming elements and.clamping means on both sides in timed relation will be described below.

As already mentioned the slides A=32 and 33 .are actuated .by .two pairsof Adog levers 34 and 35 respectively, one of each pairbeing seen .in,the drawings. For accommodating said levers the slides are .eachprovided withtwo. elongated` openingsfor .receiving the knobs of saiddog levers.

Thus slide 32 has a pair of openings 5I formed therein to receive knobs62 of the two levers 34 carried by a common hub 69 which turns on ashaft 10. Hub 69 is furthermore provided with a forked arm 1I to which alongitudinally adjustable connecting rod 12 is pivoted at 13. The otheruend of `said connecting rod is attached to the strap of eccentric 45(,Fi`gj3).

` During each rotationof shaft 43 slide 32 is once reciprocated wherebythe tool I9 is actuated to bend the U-formed hook in the groove ofpressing foot I1 and is thereafter retracted.

This pressing `foot 4 The construction for advancing and retractingedging tool 20 is quite similar. Slide 33 is provided with twoA,openings 61 for receiving'the knobs y68 ofV the pair of levers 35. Acommon hub B3 of these levers turns on a shaft 64 and is .provided withan arm 65 to which is journalled at 66 one end of an adjustable rod 15,the'other end of which is attached to the strap of theeccentric which isnot visible in the drawings.V It is obvious that the slides 32 and 33alternately perform reciprocating' movements with ,eachrotation of theshaft n43, assuming, of course,

4second arm.-,84 of the bell crank lever is pivotally `lnected at 485 toa connecting rod `81 whoseother .end is pivoted at 90 to one end ofalever-f88 journaled on a pin 89 which is secured to the machine frame.The other endof lever188 is pivoted by `pin 3|!n to the crosshead 4Thedriving mechanism operates as follows:

-Qwing to the action of cam 46, roller 80 is reciprocated in verticaldirection. By the upward movement armf82 is lifted and arm V84depressed, kthis movement being transmitted to rod 81, thence to lever88. As -lever 88 is pulled down at the left-hand side, crosshead `29 israised and the pressure .shoes are lifted from table `I I, thus allowingthe blank to be brought into position for the edging operation.Meanwhile cam 46 has been turned for half of a rrotation and roller 80moves downwardly, causing the transmission members to travel in oppositedirections and making crosshead `29 and` therewith both pressure shoesI5 and I2 and the feet fastened thereto to descend and hold down blank Bin clamping engagement. This clamping effect is reinforced on 4theright-hand side vby the action of arm `49,

of pressure shoe I2, whicharm is pivotally con- 444,driven in unisonwith vcam 46.

, As soon as blank B is held down against dis placement the edging toolsbecome operative, .the left-hand tool 23 being actuated from eccentric'42 over bell crank 40a, 40, extension 30, turnbuckle 26 and edginglever 422, and the right-hand edging tools I9 and `2l! being operatedalternately by their associated dog levers 34 and 35 and the drivingmechanisms connected thereto as described above. Thustool1|9 is actuatedfrom eccentric Y,45, andtool 20 from the eccentric lying behind theothers. The edging tools` on the lefthand and rightfhand sides are soltimedthat while @611.23 makes me s tfek. .#091549 and 2 `Each themachine.

make one stroke, that is to say, the edging mechanism at the right-handside of the machine accomplishes two forming operations to form andpartially close the U-shaped hook, while the left hand side edgingmechanism accomplishes the formation of the plain hook in a singleforming operation.

I have so far described the machine as shown in Figs. l and 2 when it isset for forming hooks of the shape which will form the Mennen seam.Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 I shall describe how the machine is madeready to turn out blanks for making plain lock-and-lap seam. For thispurpose two resettings of the machine are made which will only take theoperator a short time. On the left-hand side of the machine the edginglever 22 is disconnected at 2| and attached at 48, as shown in Figs. 3and 4. This will bring the edging tool 23 to the position there shownand into cooperating relation with a beveled surface of a forming toolllia provided at the under side of operating table l I. Instead of ahook bent upwardly, one being bent downwardly will thus be produced bythe cooperation of ltools 23 and I6". Since by the change of attachmentof edging lever 22 just described, the fulcrum of said lever has beenlowered, the bell crank 4l) is disconnected from the lower end ofextension 30 and pivotally reconnected to the lower end of the threadedpart 21 of the turnbuckle 2B, thereby shortening the linkage between thebell-crank 40 and the edging lever 22. The transmission of movementremains ghe ame as described above in connection with On the right-handside of the machine the pressing foot Il is exchanged for a foot I'Iahaving a beveled face Vix which cooperates with the edging tool I9 onslide 32 to form on a blank a plain hook bent upwardly as required forinterlocking with the hook bent downwardly which is shapedsimultaneously at the left-hand side of When the machine is intended toproduce the hooks for the lock-and-lap seam the slide 33 is madeinactive and only slide 32 is maintained in operation. The two edgingtools 23 and I9 are in this case operating simultaneously.

From the foregoing description it will be easily understood thataccording to the invention the improved machine is very well suited formodern can production allowing of almost instantaneous adaption of thedevice without any delay.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means andthe steps herein disclosed, provided i those stated by any of thefollowing claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for edging sheet metal blanks or the like, including amovable member adapted, when mounted in one operative position, to form,on a marginal portion of a blank, a hook extending toward one side ofthe latter, and adapted, when mounted in another operative position, toform, on the same marginal portion of such a blank, a hook extendingtoward the other side thereof; the combination of holding means havingportions to coaot with said movable member to form such hooks and forholding said blank while leaving, free, a marginal portion thereof, andmeans for selectively carrying said movable member in either of saidmounting positions whereby to adapt the apparatus, when in one mountingposition, to cause formation of a hook, on the said marginal portion,extendingr only toward one side of the blank, and when in anothermounting position, to cause formation of a hook on the same marginalportion extending only toward the other side of the blank.

2. In apparatus for edging sheet metal blanks or the like, including amovable member adapted, in one operative position, to form, on amarginal portion of a blank, a hook extending toward one side of thelatter, and adapted, in an opposite operative position, to form, on thesame marginal portion of such a blank, a hook extending toward the otherside thereof; the combination of holding means for ho-lding said blankwhile leaving, free, a marginal, portion thereof, and plural means,arranged toward opposite sides of a blank, so held, for selectivelycarrying said movable member in either of said opposite operativepositions whereby to adapt the apparatus selectively to cause formationof a hook, on the same marginal portion, extending toward one or theother side of the blank.

3. In apparatus for edging sheet metal blanks or the like, including arockable member having a tool portion thereon adapted to engage amarginal portion of a blank and form a marginal hook thereon; thecombination of means for gripping said blank including two oppositelyarranged blank-forming portions at opposite sides of a gripped blank,and dual mounting means, disposed toward opposite sides of a grippedblank, for selectively carrying said rockable member, pivotally, ineither of two operative positions in one of which the rockable member isadapted to coaot with one of said blank-forming portions to form, on amarginal portion of a blank, a hook extending toward one side of theblank and in the other of which positions the rockable member is adaptedto coact with the other of said blankforming portions to form, on thesame marginal portion of such a blank, a hook extending toward the otherside thereof.

4. In apparatus for edging sheet metal blanks or the like, including a.rockable member adapted to engage a marginal portion of a blank and forma hook thereon; the combination of means for gripping said blank, whichmeans include beveled blank-forming portions converging, on oppositesides of a gripped blank, toward a marginal portion thereof left free bysaid gripping means, and dual pivotal mounting means for selectivelycarrying said rockable member at its fulcrum at either of two fixedpivot po-ints one of which is adapted to -pivot the rockable member tocoaot with the beveled face of a first of said blankforming portions toform a hook on said free marginal portion of the blank, extending towardone side of the latter, and the other of which is adapted to pivot therockable member to coaot with the ybeveled face of a second of saidblank-forming portions to form a hook on said free marginal portion ofthe blank extending toward the other Side'of the latter. JOSEPH ANEIROS.

